Tgnition device for internal-combustion motors



L. FI HOFFMAN.

IGNITIQN DEVICE FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION MOTORS.

APPLICATION FILED APR.23, I920.

1,384,321 Patented July 12, 1921.

l/vf/E/vof? LEON FI HOFFMAN www A TTOR/I/E Y L. F. HOFFMAN.

IGNITION OEI/TOE FOR INTERN/II OOIIIBOSTION MOTORS.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 23. I920.

Patented July 12, 1921.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- /IvI/E/vofr LEON E HOFFMAN A TTORNE V lUNITED STATES PATENT oFFlcr..

LEON F. HOFFMAN, OF FRANKLIN, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO CHICAGO PNEU- MATIC TOOL COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

IGNITION DEVICE FOR INTERNALCOMBSTION MOTORS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application led April 23, 1920. Serial No. 375,985.

To (AZZ 'whom it may conocia:

Be it known that I, LEON F. HOFFMAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Franklin, in the' county of Venango and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful mprovementsin I'nition Devices for Internal-Combustionlotors, of which the following is a. specification.

The object, construction and method of 'using my improved ignition device are herein set forth with sufficient clearness to enable those skilled in the respective arts to which its construction and use relate, to make and use the same.

T he object of this invention is, to provide an initial ignition device for oil engines, and especially that type of oil engine which employs the heavier oils for'fuel, and in which ignition is normally caused by the combined effect of compression and the heat of the walls ofthe combustion chamber.

ln this type of an engine some preliminary method must be' employed to effect ignition until the walls of the combustion chamber attain a suiiiciently high degree of heat to cause ignition.

Heretofore such preliminary ignition has usually been secured by applying Aextraneous heat, as the heat of a torch, to some portion of the combustion chamber, thereby imparting a suhcient degree of heat thereto to cause ignition and to continue same until the heat of explosion and combustion within the cylinderhas brought the walls of the vcombination chamber up to their normal operating temperature.

This invention consists of a device adapted to be electrically heated to incandescence; and which may be positioned within and withdrawn from the combustion chamber of an engine at'will, to effect the necessary initial ignition promptly and eliiciently and without the delay incident to the application of extraneous heat to the Walls of the combustion chamber.

The construction whereby I attain said object is clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawings, the `various figures of Figure l is a transverse section through the combustion chamber and the surround-l ing walls of an oil engine showing myv ignition device applied thereto, and with the ignition coil in the operative position within the combustion chamber.

Fig. 2 is a section through the body of the ignition device showing ignition coil withdrawn from the operative position.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of said body.

Fig. 4e is the locking lever by means of which the device is locked in its respective positions.

Fig. 5 is a central longitudinal section through the member which, as a whole, is termed the movable pole. Y

Fig. 6 is au velevation of'said pole.

Fig. 7 is a section on line VII-VH of Fig. 6.

The construction here illustrated is substantially as follows:

The walls 1 of the engine cylinder, ad jacent to and surrounding the combustion chamber 2. are adapted for the reception of the igniter body or casing 3 which is formed at its lower end into a chamber 4 for the reception of the coil-housing 5, when the ignition device is withdrawn vto the inoperative position, as shown in Fig. 2. Within said housingr 5 is contained the resistor or ignition-coil 6, which becomes incandescent when a suitable electric current passes therethrough. Said housing 5 is carried by a tubular stem 7,-to the upper end oil which is attached a suitable handle 8. Vithin said stem is inserted a conductor rod 9. to the lower end ofwliich rod is connected the resister or ignition coil 6; an insulating me' dium 10 is provided for said rod at or adjacent to the lower end thereof, and adjacent to the'upper end oi' said rod, within the handie 8, the insulation 11 is provided.

The upper end of said rod 9 is secured in position by means of the screw l2, between which and said handle a suitable insulating washer 13 is provided. Suitable provision is made for the attachment of an electrical conductor 14 to said screw 12.

The lower end of said housiimr 5 is providedwithl an annular fiange 15, the upper portion of which is formed into a seating face 16, to cooperate with the seat 17 in the lower end of the body 3.

Said body is secured to the wall l in any suitable way, as by bolts 18.

Stem 7 is provided with two shouldersl.) and 20, corresponding respectively to the raised and lowered positions of the movable pole. `A locking lever 2l, is provided for en- Pafleated July 12, 1921.

` gagement with said shoulders to lock said Vpole in said positions. llVhen said movable pole is in the raised, inoperative position, it is desirable that the face 16 seatirmly upon the seat 17,. and for the accomplishment of this object, shoulder 19 is given a slight bevel or downward slant, and that portion 22 of said lever 21 which engages said shoulder, (see Fig. 4) is correspondingly beveled or wedge-shaped, so that, as it impinges upon said shoulder, it. draws the pole upward and thus forms a tight joint between face 16 and its seat 17, thus preventing anyY leakage of air, Jfuel or products of combustion into chamber 4 of the body 2.

An electrical conductor 14 is connected to the conductor-rod 9 in any suitable way, as previously explained. The other conductor necessary to supply a circuit vmay be at tached to any other part of the engine.

'The operation of my improved ignition device is as follows When the engine or motor is to be started, the ignition deviceor movable pole-is lowered to the position shown in Fig. l, so that the ignition coil 6 is positioned within the combustion chamber 2; the electrical current is then `turned on, causing coil 6 to become incandescent; the engine is then'started, and said coil produce's proper ignition of the fuel of the motor.

The device remains in the operative posii tion until the walls of the combustion-chanber (or any other pre-determined portion of the cylinder) become sufficiently heated to produce proper ignition. whereupon the device is raised to the position shown in Fig.

2; the electrical current is thereupon discontinued.

By a reference to the drawings, and more especially to F ig. 7. it will be noted that the chamber 5', containing the ignition coil 6, is open upon one side only. The housing 5 is so turned or positioned that this opening is turned toward the point at which fuel oil enters the combustion chamber. For the purpose of securing the above position, a pin 23 is provided in the lower end of handle 8. and a corresponding socket 24 is provided in the upper, adjacent face of the bodyorcasing 3.

Then the device isA in the lower, opera an instantaneous propagation of the flame throughout the whole body of the mixture.

l claim the following: Y

1. The combination with the combustion chamber ot' an internal combustion motor, of an ignition device carriedwithin the Walls of said chamber adapted to be operatively positioned within said chamber and wit-hdrawn to an inoperative position without said chamber at will, and means tor locking said device in both said positions.

2. The combination with the combustion chamber ot' an internal combustion motor, of a laterally positioned pocket adjacent to said chamber, an ignition device within said pocket adapted to be introduced into vsaid chamber and withdrawn into said pocket, at will, and means for locking said device in either of said positions.

3. The combination with the combustion chamber of an internal combustion motor, of alaterally-positioned pocket adjacent to said chamber, an ignition device within said pocket adapted to be introduced into said chamber and withdrawn into said pocket at will, means for locking said device in either of said positions, and means excluding the gases of combustion from said pocket vwhen said ignition device is positioned therein.

it. TheV combination with the combustion chamber of an oil engine, ot a laterally-po-` sitioned pocket adjacent to said chamber, an ignition device consisting ofan incandescent element adapted to occupy said pocket and to be introduced into said chamber and withdrawn therefrom at will, and means insuring contact of the fuel oil with said incandescent element as said oil enters said chamber.

5. The combination with the combustion chamber of an oil engine, ot a laterally-po sitioned pocket adjacent to said chamber, an ignition device consisting ot an element adapted to be heated to incandescence, occupying said pocket and adapted to be introduced into said chamber and withdrawn into said pocket at will'. means for heating said element, means insuring contact of the. fuel oil with said clement as said oil enters the combustion chamber, means manually operable to actuate said element to its respective positions within said pocket and within said combustion chamber, and means excluding the gases ot combustion from said pocket when said element is positioned therein.

in testimony whereof aihx my signature in presence of two witnesses. A

LEON r. HOFFMAN.

Witnesses:

L. D. Donwon'rir, Lno L. BnA'rrY.

vso 

